DENNIS WICK DW 5504

The world's favourite trumpet mute! This is perhaps the most successful, and most copied trumpet mute ever. Since it was first designed in 1968 it has given trumpet players exactly what they need: a mute which is perfectly in tune in all registers, a great feel which doesn't effect the 'blow' of the instrument, and the ability to produce a searing fortissimo in orchestral tuttis.

The reason for the success of this Denis Wick mute lies partly in the brilliance of the design and partly in the care and precision of the manufacture. The design has created a very open mute, bigger than all its predecessors, giving a full sound and avoiding the problem of sharpness of pitch encountered in many trumpet mutes.

The hand-spun aluminium is both light and extremely resonant. Other manufacturing techniques produce mutes which are not as hard. Our hand-crafting produce a mute where the metal is 'work-hardened' making it both light and very resonant. This makes it free-blowing and extremely responsive and the choice of the most demanding musicians.

Real cork is used to produce a snug fit in the bell of the instrument. We are proud that this mute is used by thousands of musicians all over the world and yet also represents incredible value. This is one of the most important pieces of equipment a trumpet-player will ever purchase, but is available at an incredibly reasonable price.'

"The iconic mute for a generation of performers - and one that has passed the test of time. Superbly crafted and engineered (they all look and sound alike), it has been seen on major contest stages on every continent of the globe.

the mute produces a clear, brilliant sound that allows for a wide dynamic range with secure intonation. N wonder so many have been sold - all right in an open-air park concert, but a death knell on the contesting or recording stage.

For cornets in particular, having a complete set of quality homogenous mutes is a must - and worth their weight in gold. Buy cheap and nasty and you will surely sound the same.

And as long as the band secretary can keep an up to date inventory (cornet mutes gp AWOL from bandrooms more often than Ronnie Biggs over Wandsworth prison wall) they are also well worth the investment too."